Father Pitt

Tag: Chinatown

  • Muddling a Building in Chinatown

    513 Court Place
    Fujifilm FinePix HS10.

    The front of this building from the 1920s has been subjected to a series of ill-conceived renovations, and it is about to get another one. This one will make a drastic change in its appearance by imposing a modern front that will make it look like an entirely different building—one in a 2020s style that will be embarrassingly passé in a few years. The good news is that the new front appears to be more or less disposable: it is simply covering the existing building (except for the parts on the ground floor that had already been rubbished by previous renovations), and a future owner will be able to peel it away and reveal the original building behind.

  • On Leong & Merchants Association Building, Chinatown

    On Leong & Merchants Association Building

    Chinatown in Pittsburgh was an almost stiflingly dense neighborhood that was virtually destroyed when the Boulevard of the Allies ramp was built. Nevertheless, a number of Chinese merchants and organizations rebuilt on Court Place, the new street along the base of the ramp. This building was designed by Sidney F. Heckert, otherwise known as a reliable architect of Catholic schools and churches. It goes right through from Court Place (above) to Third Avenue (below), and for many decades it has been the home of the Chinatown Inn, the only remaining Chinese business in Chinatown.

    Chinatown Inn
    Fujifilm FinePix HS10.